Tamper proof container



May 5, 1970 J. SILVER 3,510,021

TAMPER PROOF CONTAINER Fi1ed May 14, 1969 2 sheets-sheet 1 @a i 4 a M 3M a 5X M 4 4 Z 4 f 5 f 1 /V U Y 1 H T Ill VTM m m Q R 4 l v O Z .0 V5 H 2 J WE A J 4 n H ff M 1 LAL/ M L. 5 w YW 6. I, 1 H T/ wil f Z; :11| $1 l 1 .11 dfi/ ZAL 5 .Tij o 2 4 8 4 11. r J d |+|W nu Hl u1 l l l I lhHrHM 1 -I 4 j 0a 6 v 4 L Z f m M 111 5.12,, II|IIIILVM4HHU4UL 2 M J. SILVER TAMPER PROOF CONTAINER May 5, 1970 2 Sheets-Sneet 2 Filed May 14, 1969 ATTORNEY United States Patent O 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hollow container and cap combination is disclosed which comprises a hollow container and a skirted cap, the cap having a non-perforated substantially flat top. Lugs on the inner surface of the skirt of the cap may be engaged with recesses provided on the upper, outer surface of the container so that the cap and container are lockably joined together. They may only be separated by means of a downward push on the cap and a rotation thereof. In addition, when the container is filled and sealed with the cap, a ridge portion on the lower end of the cap engages a rib on the container so that the cap cannot be removed without tearing off a tearstrip formed by the ridge and the lower portion of the cap skirt. When sealed, the container has in addition to the sealing by the ridge and rib combination a second seal due to the action of a flange engaging the upper surface of the container. Also the imperforate top prevents any entry of foreign matter into the sealed container.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to safety caps and containers and more particularly to containers which may be used for packaging medicaments or drugs and which are advantageously sold in sealed containers.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a cap and container combination which is not only sealed so that the eventual user knows there has been no interference with the contents of the container, but one, which after the seal has been removed, may be relocked in such a fashion that a child would normally not be able to open it. Many children each year obtain access to drugs and medicaments and by the simple act of removing the cap are able to consume the contents and severe illness and even death results. A further advantage of the present invention is that the cap has a non-perforated top to insure that moisture or foreign matter will not enter into the container. In addition, a tight and sure flange-like seal is provided between the container and the cap, thus giving further protection to the contents from contamination. The safety seal feature of the cap cooperates with this ange to insure that it is in tight fitting and sealing contact with the container.

As far as it is known, there has not been heretofore a cap and container combination which combines the safety features of a sealed container with a re-cap construction which is a deterrent to bring opened by children.

An example of a safety cap container designed for deterring children is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,344,942, issued Oct. 3, 1967 to Hedgewick. The cap and container construction therein has perforations in the top portion of the cap and a sealing arrangement extending from the cap top. There is no provision for sealing the contents in a secure fashion. In addition, the seal extending from the top of the cap is required to carefully mesh the upper surface of the container in a vertical relationship. An obvious shortcoming to this arrangement is that a failure of the seal to meet the upper portion of the container will result in passage of moisture through the top openings, past the seal and into the container where the contents may be contaminated.

3,510,021 Patented May 5, 1970 ice As an example of a prior sealed cap and container construction, reference may be had to U.S. Pat. No. 3,032,226, issued May l, 1962, to Terwilliger. The sealed cap shown in Terwilliger consists merely of a cap member inserted into a container with a tearstrip having a shoulder on it which engages a second shoulder on the container. Once the tearstrip is removed the container is easily separated from the cap and no provision is made for insuring against a child being able to easily remove the cap to get at the contents.

In the specification and in the accompanying drawings, an embodiment of the present invention is described and shown. However, it is not intended that this embodiment be limiting of the invention, but instead, it is for the purpose of informing those skilled in the art of the concept of the present invention so that it may be practiced by others in various forms and other embodiments which will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In the drawings FIG. 1 is an exploded side View showing the cap and container of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the cap of FIG. 1 taken along lines 2 2;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the container of FIG. 1 taken along lines 3 3;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the cap and container of FIG. 1 in locked and sealed condition;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the cap and container similar to that of FIG. 4 but with the safety tearstrip removed;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged exploded view showing the relationship of the deterrent construction of the cap and container;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view along lines 7 7 of FIG. 6:

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view showing the cap and container in semi-closed positions;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view along lines 9 9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged View showing the cap and container in locked and sealed condition; and

FIG. 1l is a side View along lines 11--11 of FIG. 10.

Referring to the drawings and to FIGS. 1 through 4 in particular, the combination 10 of the present invention is comprised of a container 12 and a cap 14. The container 12 has a bottom wall 16 and a cylindrical side 'wall 18. The cap 14 has a subsantially flat top 20 and a depending side skirt 22. On the inner surface 26 of the skirt 22, a series of lugs 24 are provided. The lugs 24 are spaced about the cap at equal angular increments and on substantially the same level.

A series of recesses 28 spaced at the same angular increments as the lugs 24 are provided on the outer surface of the upper portion of the container 12. The recesses 28 -are formed from a tapered front portion abutment 30 and an elongated lback portion abutment 32.

A flange 34 extends inwardly from the inner surface 26 of skirts 22 and is in a plane substantially parallel to the top surface 20 of the cap 14.

As shown in FIG. 1l in particular, when the cap 14 is fitted onto the container 12, the flange 34 is pressed in sealing relationship against the upper edge 36 of the bottom wall 16.

A pair of ribs 38 and 40 are yprovided on the outer surface of the bottom wall 116. The first rib 38 is positioned at the base of the elongated back abutment 32. In actual operation, when the cap 14 is placed on the container 12, the rib 38 is reinforced by the abutment 32. A ridge portion 42 is provided at the bottom of skirt 22. Above the ridge 42 a weakened section 44 is to define a tearstrip 46 to which is attached a lifting tap 48.

As shown in FIGS. 6 through 11, in sealing the cap and container, the cap is placed on the container and forced downwardly. The lugs 24 are positioned so that they do not align with the recesses 28 during the first phase. As

3 the cap is forced downwardly the flange 34 comes to bear against the upper edge 36. Preferably, the cap 14 is molded from an elastomeric material such as polyethylene or polypropylene so that the ange 34 has a certain degree of resiliency. When the cap is positioned about the container (see FIGS. 8 and 9) a twisting action brings the lugs 24 into contact with the tapered abutments 30 so that the lugs are cammed downwardly as the twisting action continues. The lugs 24 after being cammed to the lower portion of the abutment 30 move into the recesses 28. Due to the resiliency of the ange 34 the cap 14 as a whole is -urged upwardly locking the lugs in the recesses 28. At the same time, the ridge 42 is moved downwardly to a position below the first rib 38. Advantageously, the `bottom surface 50 of the rib 38 has a flat portion while the side 52 has ya sloping cam face. The ridge 42 as it passes beneath the rib 38 engages that rib by means of its top surface 54 which comes into contact with rib surface 50. The second rib 40 cooperates with the first rib 38 to form a channel in 'which the ridge 42 is recessed.

If the ridge 42 is pulled away from the container 12 it must clear the rib 38 and under such force the `weakened section 44 will fail. By this means, it is possible to prevent one from unsealing the cap from the container until it is desired to use the contents therein. Thus, the -user knows whether or not the container has been opened.

The ange 34 in albutting against the top edge 36 also acts as a spring member to draw the ridge 42 and particularly its surface 54 into tight engagement with the bottom surface 50 on rib 38. To remove the tearstrip 46 the tab 48 is lbent outwardly and upwardly causing a severance along the weakened line 44. Once this is done, the cap may -be removed from the container by forcing it downwardly and rotating it so that the lugs 24 clear the recesses 28. Under normal conditions, a child would not have suicient intelligence to remove the cap from the container by disengaging the lugs 24 from the recesses 28.

Thus, it will be seen that there is a cooperation and coaction between the fiange 34, the lugs 24, the recesses 28, the rib 38, and the ridge 42 to provide a combination safety and child deterrent cap and container.

What is claimed: 1. A hollow container and cap combination including: a hollow container having bottom and side Walls and a cap having a non-perforated substantially flat top and a peripheral skirt arranged substantially perpendicular to said top and adapted to be positioned about the upper portion of said side wall, said skirt having a plurality of lugs spaced at substantially equal angular increments afbout the interior surface of the skirt and a peripheral flexible flange extending inwardly from the skirt and positioned above the lugs, said lugs adapted to be cammed into locking engagement with a plurality of recesses on the outer surface of the upper portion of container side wall,

said recesses spaced at substantially the same equal angular increments as the lugs,

said peripheral flange positioned against the upper edge of the side -wall whereby the cap and container are in sealing engagement and said flange acts as a spring member to force said lugs into locking engagement with the recesses,

an annular rib on the outer surface of said side wall positioned below said recesses,

a ridge on the inner surface of the skirt adapted to contact said rib when the cap and lugs are engaged with the recesses on the container, whereby the cap cannot be removed from the container,

a weakened portion on the skirt above the ridge defining a tearstrip so that the portion of the skirt below may be severed from the skirt, whereby the cap may be removed from the container but thereafter replaced and secured in tight fitting engagement with the container by the interaction between the lugs and recesses.

2. A hollow container and cap combination as defined in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the recesses extend to the side wall rib whereby said rib is reinforced.

3. A hollow container and cap combination as defined in claim 1 wherein the side wall rib has a substantially flat bottom surface and a sloping side surface, whereby the cap ridge will be urged past the rib by the sloping side surface and securely engaged by the bottom rib surface.

4. A hollow container and cap combination as defined in claim 1 and further including a tab portion extending downwardly from the tearstrip to facilitate removal of the strip from the cap.

5. A hollow container and cap combination as defined in claim 1 and lfurther including a second rib on the side wall spaced below the first rib whereby a channel is formed to hold the ridge in place.

l6. A hollow container and cap combination including:

a hollow container having bottom and side walls and a cap having a substantially lat top and a peripheral skirt arranged substantially perpendicular to said top and adapted to be positioned adjacent the upper portion of said side wall,

locking means on said skirt and said side wall adapted to be engaged and disengaged by exerting pressure on said cap,

an annular rib on the outer surface of said side wall,

a ridge on the inner surface of a portion of the skirt adapted to contact said rib when the locking means on the skirt and side wall are in engaged relation whereby the cap cannot be removed from the container,

a weakened portion on the skirt above the ridge delining a tearstrip so that the portion of the skirt below may be severed from the skirt, whereby the cap may be removed from the container but thereafter replaced and secured in tight tting engagement with the container by the locking means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,032,226 5/ 1962 Terwilliger 21S-46 3,344,942 10/ 1967 Hedgewick 215--44 3,435,975 4/ 1969 Weigand 215-44 GEORGE T. HALL, Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 

